Law minister suggests CII review on KP child marriage restraint bill – World Pakistan

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is expected to send the draft Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2019 to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) for its opinion before proceeding further with legislation.

This was stated by KP Minister for Law Aftab Alam Advocate during a meeting of the Provincial Assembly’s Standing Committee on Social Welfare, which convened on Tuesday to review the proposed legislation.

The meeting was attended by Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Women Development Syed Qasim Ali Shah, Advocate General Shah Faisal Atmankhail, and other officials from relevant departments.

Briefing the participants, department officials outlined the key features of the bill, which seeks to curb child marriage in the province by introducing legal measures and penalties. Committee members shared their feedback and offered suggestions on the draft law.

Law Minister Aftab Alam noted that since the issue of child marriage intersects with religious and cultural sensitivities, it was appropriate to consult the Council of Islamic Ideology for guidance. “This is a sensitive matter directly linked to religious and Islamic teachings,” he said. “The bill should be sent to the CII for its review and recommendations.”

The move to seek the council’s input comes amid debate over the appropriate legal age for marriage and the need to balance child protection with cultural and religious considerations.